System and method for employing digital postage marks as part of value-added services in a mailing system

ABSTRACT

System and method for providing confirmation relating to the distribution of a mailpiece within a mailing system includes a determination of postal data required for postage evidencing of a mailpiece originated by a mailer. The postal data is combined with other data related to value-added services desired for the mailpiece. The value-added services data includes addressing information for a return receipt to the mailer. A digital postmark which includes the postal data and the value-added services data is created. At delivery of the mailpiece, the digital postmark is read and the value-added services data is captured from the read digital postmark. A confirmation message is sent to the mailer and/or other interested third parties, in accordance with information contained in the value-added services data.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This is a continuation application of application Ser. No.09/242,206, filed on Dec. 2, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. which is acontinuation-in-part application of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSerial No. 60/049,518, filed Jun. 13, 1997, now abandoned.

[0002] This application is related to the following co-pendingapplications filed concurrently herewith and commonly assigned to theassignee of this application: U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos.(Attorney Docket No. E-899), which is specifically incorporated hereinby reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates generally to mailing systems andmethods. More particularly, the present invention is directed to mailingsystems and methods that evidence postage payment using digital postagemarks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The field of communication is one of the fastest growing sectorsof the economy. Communication enables business and economic transactionsand fuels global economy. Two basic modes of communication areelectronic and hardcopy communications. Well known examples ofelectronic communication are e-mail (Internet), computer facsimile anddigital telephony, while a classic example of hardcopy communication istraditional mail delivery. There are also mixed forms of communicationcombining hardcopy and electronic modes such as traditional facsimileand hybrid mail. Both electronic and hardcopy communications offersadvantages and disadvantages to users. The electronic communicationswhile fast and economical lack universal coverage of traditional mailand create multiple security and legal concerns, particularly insensitive transaction-type communications. The hardcopy mail is slowerand more expensive, but covers a vast majority of the population andoffers legal proof that is frequently required in business and socialendeavors.

[0005] Recently, in the United States of America and other countries newdigital methods of payment evidencing for traditional mail has beenapproved by respective Posts. Specifically, Digital Postage Marks (DPM)(a.k.a. digital indicia, a.k.a. information based indicia) arecomputerized information printed or otherwise attached to a mail item toprovide an evidence of payment to a verification authority (e.g. theUnited States Postal Service). See for example, PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FORINFORMATION-BASED INDICIA AND SECURITY ARCHITECTURE FOR OPEN IBI POSTAGEMETERING SYSTEMS, dated Apr. 26, 1999, which is an United States PostalService specification that defines the requirements for a system whichuses a general purpose computer for printing information-based indiciain a 2-Dimensional barcode. When the majority of the information in theDPM is presented in the form of a 2-Dimensional barcode (such asDataMatrix or PDF417), the DPM can carry a very substantial amount ofinformation that can be automatically and economically computerized,printed and later scanned using conventional computer-driven scanners.The nature of this information has been application dependent and hastypically been oriented toward security features for verification ofpayment evidence. This type of information, generally referred to aspostal data, preferably includes identification of the metering device(or licensee) responsible for the payment, unique identification of mailitem, value of various accounting registers, location of the maildeposit/mailer's account, postage value and other similar information.Such information is typically protected by a cryptographically generatedvalidation code known as CPVC (Cryptographic Postage Validation Code).Another way to protect DPM is by supplying the verification authoritywith the value of the validation code (Postage validation Code or PVC)prior to mail submission as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,889,assigned to the assignee of this application.

[0006] One commonly recognized general purpose of sending a mail item isto solicit a reply message from a recipient or service provider. Suchreply message may be a response to the message contained in the mailitem or a service type message having to do with the fact of sendingand/or delivering and/or receiving the mail item by either the mailrecipient or the service provider or both. The situation whenconfirmation of mail acceptance and/or delivery is required isparticularly common and normally addressed by certified, registered orinsured mail. These types of mail are traditionally organized around aphysical proof of acceptance and delivery, such as a physical receipt,which is signed by the service provider's clerks and/or the mailrecipient and physically delivered to the mail originator (mailer). Thepostal services incur considerable cost for such value-added service,and the mailer is charged a fee that is significant in comparison to thecost of regular delivery of the mail item. For example, when a mailerrequests a return receipt, the recipient of the mail signs a cardstating that the mail has been received. This card is physicallydelivered back to the original mailer as acknowledgement of mail receiptfrom the recipient.

[0007] Such physical proofs of acceptance and delivery are economicallyinefficient and time-consuming. Most, if not all, of such methodsrequire separate, essentially manual, handling of special services mailwhich is orders of magnitude more expensive than automated mailprocessing based on machine readability of information present on mailitems.

[0008] As of 1998, almost 20% of the population in USA and industrialworld in general have access to electronic mail via Internet. Even ahigher number of mailers use facsimile regularly. These numbers areexpected to grow dramatically in the future. Although such electroniccommunications provide speed and efficiency over the physical deliveryof mail, there is no indication that such electronic communications willreplace the physical delivery of mail. Heretofore, such electroniccommunications have been an alternative form of communication to thephysical delivery of mail. The present invention provides an effectivecommunication system that links the physical delivery of mail withelectronic communications to optimize communications utilization of theadvantages of each.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In accordance with the present invention, the machine-readableDPM provides a means to overcome the aforementioned difficulties atleast for a considerable portion of mail stream. It has been found thatthe digital data in the DPM may include information that can be used forother than security and postage payment verification. For example, byincluding a mailer's e-mail address in the DPM, the present inventionprovides an opportunity to send a e-mail return receipt, whicheliminates the need for a return receipt being physically delivered tothe mailer. Thus, the postal service saves on the mail cost by addingthis attribute to the DPM and the savings can be passed along to themailer.

[0010] The present invention realizes that the new digital methods ofpayment evidencing offer unprecedented opportunities not only to improvepostal revenue collection and protection but also to create new userfriendly services that can greatly improve the appeal of traditionalmail. Transition to digital methods of payment evidencing in fact offersan information-rich interface between mailers, posts and mail recipientsthat can substantially amplify advantages and features of traditionalmail while simultaneously alleviating its disadvantages, such as itsrelatively high cost. Paradoxically, this information-rich interface canbe achieved by integrating traditional hardcopy and electroniccommunication into one effective communication system that takesadvantage of beneficial features of both media and offering end users(i.e. rate paying public) a broad selection of communication choices.

[0011] In accordance with the present invention, the DPM is treated as amessage that is sent by a mailer to a service provider (carrier orPost), mail item recipient and any third party interested in theinformation encoded in the DPM (such as for example, a legal authority).In this regard, the DPM message can support any specific application ofcommunication.

[0012] The present invention provides for the integration of electroniccommunication information, such as an e-mail address or a telephone,facsimile or pager number, into a conventional DPM. This allows theautomatic creation and forwarding of service messages (such as deliveryconfirmation) to the mailer (or other intended recipient of theelectronic communication) in a more expeditious and effective manner.Essentially, any information about a mail item known to the carrier canbe forwarded to the mailer (or other intended recipient) through analternative electronic communication channel. This concept can beextended even to the mail item communication message, which is unlikeDPM is hidden from the carrier. In particular, a digest of mail itemcommunication message (e.g. hash value) can be included into DPM as anevidence of the nature of delivered message. Through use of well-knownsecurity techniques, such as cryptography, the present invention dealseffectively with issues of confidentiality, message integrity,authentication and non-repudiation. These and other aspects of thepresent invention are covered in the detailed description of theinvention.

[0013] In accordance with the present invention, system and method forproviding confirmation relating to the distribution of a mailpiecewithin a mailing system includes a determination of postal data requiredfor postage evidencing of a mailpiece originated by a mailer. The postaldata is combined with other data related to value-added services desiredfor the mailpiece. The value-added services data includes addressinginformation for a return receipt to the mailer. A digital postmark whichincludes the postal data and the value-added services data is created.At delivery of the mailpiece, the digital postmark is read and thevalue-added services data is captured from the read digital postmark. Aconfirmation message is sent to the mailer and/or other interested thirdparties, in accordance with information contained in the value-addedservices data.

[0014] Therefore, it is now apparent that the present inventionsubstantially overcomes the disadvantages associated with the prior art.Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in thedescription, which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectsand advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means ofthe instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in andconstitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferredembodiments of the invention, and together with the general descriptiongiven above and the detailed description of the preferred embodimentsgiven below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. As shownthroughout the drawings, like reference numerals designate like orcorresponding parts.

[0016]FIG. 1 is a schematic of a prior art PC metering system as anexample of a mail generation subsystem that creates and prints a DPM inaccordance with the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a postal distribution network inaccordance with the present invention;

[0018]FIG. 3 is a block representation of a mail item file that iscreated and supplemented as the mail item is processed and delivered inaccordance with the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 4 is a schematic of an optional delivery confirmationsubsystem used by a recipient in accordance with the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the process of creating the mail item tobe processed by the postal distribution network of FIG. 2; and

[0021]FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the processing of the mail item by thepostal distribution network of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The present invention provides a system and method forintegrating value-added services information into the DPM of a mail itemto provide a more economical and efficient method of providing suchvalue-added services. Although the present invention is described belowas an e-mail implementation, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that a viable alternative includes substituting a mailer's pagernumber so that a pager notification of mail receipt can be used alongwith some other receipt data. Other viable alternatives includefacsimile or automated voice response notification. Furthermore, thepresent invention is described for a mail item that is delivered by apostal service. It will be understood by those skilled in the art thatthe present invention can be used with any carrier that physicallydelivers any item. It will be further understood that for such othercarriers, the communication information that is described herein asbeing integrated in the DPM, may be applied in any manner to any part ofthe item being physically delivered. For example, the information may bepart of a bar code or may be in plain text.

[0023] Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic of a prior art PC meteringsystem, generally designated 10, is shown as an example of a mailgeneration system that creates and prints a DPM 12 on mail item 14 inaccordance with the present invention. In accordance with the presentinvention, DPM 12 includes a 2-Dimensional bar code that containsconventional IBIP information and confirmation notification information,such as e-mail address, facsimile number, telephone number and/or pagernumber, and a mail item unique identification number. PC meter 10includes conventional PC 16, display 18 and printer 20. See U.S. Pat.No. 5,781,438, assigned to the assignee of this application, which ishereby incorporated by reference for a more detailed description of a PCmetering system.

[0024] Referring now to FIG. 2, a block diagram of the system of thepresent invention is shown. The system includes a postal distributionnetwork, generally designated 100, which processes a mail item 14 thatoriginated from mailer's PC computer system 10 and delivers mail item 14to a recipient 30 while capturing value-added services information inaccordance with the present invention. The postal distribution network100 includes conventional components such as: facer/canceler 110; MLOCR(multi-line optical character reader) sorters 120 that typically performa primary sort for mail items that have not been presorted; intermediatebar-code sorters 130, postal transport means 140 for transporting themail item from one postal facility to another; final bar code sorters150; and delivery means 160, such as a mail carrier delivery to amailbox. Delivery means 160 includes a scanner 162 for scanning DPM 12at the time of delivery. In accordance with the present invention,postal distribution network 100 further includes a digital data capturecomputer 170 that is optionally coupled to one or more of theaforementioned components of the postal distribution network 100 for thepurpose of capturing information, including value-added servicesinformation, that is read from the DPM of the mail item being processed.As information is captured by digital data capture computer 170, a mailitem file 200 (described in detail below) is created. Depending on thevalue-added services being processed, digital data capture computer 170communicates through a public electronic communications network 250 withmailer's computer system 10, recipient's computer 32 or a third partycomputer 300. Communications network 250 may be any conventionalcommunications network, such as the Internet or a cellular/conventionaltelephonic network, or any combination thereof depending on the type ofcommunication information read from the DPM.

[0025] Referring now to FIG. 3, a block representation of mail item file300 that is created and supplemented as mail item 14 is processed anddelivered to recipient 30. Mail item file 300 includes: a header 305 ofpostal information that has been captured from an initial read of theDPM; a mail item identification number 310, which has been read from theDPM or assigned within the postal distribution network 100; a list 318of value-added services requested; and one or more e-mail addresses 320.For example, the value-added services may direct a communication to themailer, the recipient, a third party repository or any other party. Thepresent invention provides for one or more of such communications. Mailitem file 300 further includes various data elements 320 that areoptionally captured depending on the value-added services requested.Data elements 320 may include induction time 330 and induction address332 indicating when and where mail item 14 enters the postaldistribution network 100, intermediate times 340 and addresses 342indicating various stages of processing within the postal distributionnetwork 100, and delivery time 350 and delivery address 352 indicatingwhen and where the mail item leaves the postal distribution network 100.Data elements 320 may further include information captured when the DPM12 was read, such as a hash 360 of the contents of mail item 14 and adigital signature and/or certificate 370.

[0026] Referring now to FIG. 4, an optional delivery confirmationsubsystem is shown in the form of recipient's computer 32. A hand-heldscanner 34 is used by recipient 30 to read DPM 12. Recipient's computer32 includes software, which obtains an appropriate e-mail address fromDPM 12 and sends an e-mail response in accordance with informationcontained within DPM 12.

[0027] Referring now to FIG. 5, a process is shown for creating mailitem 14 to be processed by the postal distribution network 100 inaccordance with the present invention. Mail item 14 is created with aDPM mark that includes the mailer's e-mail address that will be used,for example, as confirmation or completion of value-added servicesrequested by the mailer. Additional e-mail addresses may be included forother parties that the mailer desires to receive notice of, for example,delivery. DPM generation and/or postage payment process involves auser-selectable option to include e-mail address in encrypted formwithin the DPM. At step 400, using mail creation software in PC 16, amailer enters or selects delivery address information, return addressinformation and payment information. At step 405, the mailer selectsdesired value-added services, rating information and confirmationnotification information, such as e-mail address, facsimile number,telephone number and/or pager number. It will be understood that thee-mail address may be automatically retrieved when the value-addedservices are selected. It will also be understood that the feeassociated with the selected value-added services will be accounted foraccordingly. At step 410, a cryptographic postage validation code (CPVC)is computed, for example, using digital signature with appendix, ordigital signature with message recovery, a hybrid digital signature ormessage authentication code or postage validation code. At step 415, DPM12 (including meter ID, mail item ID, origination postal code, serviceindicator, rating parameters, delivery address identifier date, postagevalue and CPVC) is formatted for printing in OCR/human readable formatand 2-D bar code. At step 420, mail Item 14 is printed by printer 20with DPM 12. At step 425, mail item 14 is deposited into the postaldistribution network 100.

[0028] Referring now to FIG. 6, a flow chart of the processing of mailitem 14 by postal distribution network 100. At step 500, the processingof mail item 14 begins with the scanning of DPM 12, which providesdelivery information and value-added services information includingmailer's e-mail address. At step 505, a verification key is obtainedfrom DPM 12 or an external database and the CPVC is verified usingdigital signature with appendix, or digital signature with messagerecovery, a hybrid digital signature or message authentication code orpostage validation code. At step 510, if the CPVC is not correct, thenat step 590 mail item 14 is outsorted. If the CPVC is correct, then acheck is made at step 515 to determine whether confirmation ofvalue-added services has been requested. If not, then normal processingcontinues at step 580. If confirmation of value-added services has beenrequested, then at step 520, mail item 14 is marked for special handlingby the delivery mailman and mail item 14 is sorted and transported forfinal sort and delivery. At step 525, when mail item 14 is deliveredinto a mailbox or handed to the recipient, the delivery mailman scansDPM 12 to obtain the confirmation notification address. Alternatively,or additionally the recipient may scan DPM 12 to obtain the confirmationnotification address for sending the notification or an additionalrelated message. At step 530, notification is sent using the e-mailaddress(es) read from DPM 12.

[0029] In an alternate embodiment mail item 14 is entered into the mailstream in the usual manner and is delivered to the recipient through thenormal postal process. Upon receipt of mail, either the recipient signson electronic pad carried by the delivery person or receipt is noted bythe delivery person using an electronic data collection device. Themailer, or any other interested party, can get return receipt in one ofthe following four ways or any combination thereof:

[0030] 1) Printed version of electronic receipt mailed to mailer.

[0031] 2) By an e-mail notification from the postal service informingthe mailer of the delivery and mailing the recipient signature in asecure manner.

[0032] 3) By visiting a secure web site created by the postal serviceand checking the receipt information like signature, time, date, etc.

[0033] 4) By visiting a public web site created by the postal service tocheck a like of mail piece identification numbers that have beendelivered.

[0034] It has been found that the present invention is symmetrical inthat the initial message may be an e-mail and the response may by thephysical delivery of the mail item 14 which references in DPM 12 thee-mail message. For example, a contract offer may be sent by e-mail witha condition that the recipient responds with a signed document within 24hours of receipt of the e-mail. The recipient can respond and includethe e-mail message identification and time of receipt in DPM 12 toaccept the offer.

[0035] Many features of the embodiments disclosed herein representdesign choices selected to exploit the inventive concept as implementedin a particular mailing system environment. However, those skilled inthe art will recognize that various modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, theinventive concept in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificdetails of the preferred embodiments described above, but is defined bythe appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing confirmation relating tothe distribution of a mailpiece within a mailing system, the methodcomprising: determining postal data required for postage evidencing of amailpiece originated by a mailer; combining the postal data with otherdata related to value-added services desired for the mailpiece, thevalue-added services data including addressing information for a returnreceipt to the mailer; creating a digital postmark comprising the postaldata and the value-added services data; reading the digital postmarkwhen the mailpiece is delivered; capturing the value-added services datafrom extracted information from the read digital postmark; and sending areturn receipt message to the mailer in accordance with the addressinginformation.